Motion backed for solar thermal inquiry

The South Australian Government has supported an Opposition motion to form a parliamentary select committee to investigate renewable energy options to replace the two coal-fired power stations at Port Augusta.

The motion was moved by the member for Stuart, Dan van Holst Pellekaan, whose electorate takes in the region.

He said it was important to investigate whether solar thermal energy - which uses the sun's heat for electricity generation - can provide the state's future base-load power requirements.

"I want solar thermal to be investigated very, very thoroughly so that we can know 'Is it going to be the solution to the problem we will have when the Leigh Creek coal runs out?' There's no politics in this for me. This is nothing mischievous," he said.

SA Energy Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the Government backed the motion because it believed in renewable energy sources.

Vision

Mr Koutsantonis said Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond needed to embrace the vision demonstrated by her regional development spokesman.

"Ms Redmond said recently that if every industry that created wind turbines fell over she wouldn't lose any sleep over it," he said.

"Here we've got one of her young rising stars saying ' No I want to investigate it for Port Augusta. It's captured the imagination of South Australians'."

Mr van Holst Pellekaan said he disagreed with Mr Koutsantonis's criticism of the Opposition Leader and her deputy.

"I think what's happening there is the Minister's putting words into their mouths that are not accurate," he said.

"As far as I'm concerned this is a very specific, single purpose motion."